The great war that erupted in the Sorbet Kingdom of the South Sea did nothing to slow down the fierce conflict raging between the Flower Kingdom and the Mulberry Kingdom in the West Sea. Both sides continued their battles with unrelenting ferocity.
The Flower Kingdom had already dispatched its forces—from the First through the Eighth Treasures Navy—and even the royal army was fully mobilized. On the other side, the Mulberry Kingdom's pirate clans rallied under the command of their Grand General, each family contributing their private forces to the struggle.
Names like the Mori Clan, the Kitano Clan, the Tokugawa Clan, the Shimozawa Clan, the Matano Clan, the Gono Clan, the Tokonaga Clan, and the Dansoga Clan echoed across the battlefield. The entire Mulberry Kingdom had gone mad, pouring every resource they had into war. They even drained their coffers to purchase endless weaponry from the underground broker—JOKER. Their goal was clear: destroy the Flower Kingdom, seize control of this sea as the last standing pirate nation, and secure enough Heavenly Tribute to maintain their status as a World Government affiliate.
If they succeeded, the Marines would not only be forbidden from attacking them but would also be forced to defend their nation. The thought alone thrilled them.
"Kill!!"
The clash of the two great pirate nations raged violently. Several Conqueror's Haki users unleashed their overwhelming wills, colliding with explosive force.
From the skies above, on the Ark Maxim, Souta Kiryuu witnessed it all for the first time. Now he truly understood the meaning behind the phrase: "Conqueror's Haki users are as numerous as carp crossing the river." It wasn't just an exaggeration—it was reality.
He never imagined that even within two pirate nations of the West Sea, so many would possess Conqueror's Haki. No wonder Dragon had insisted on bringing him to suppress these pirate affiliates. Compared to the brutality of this battle, the peace of the East Blue suddenly seemed like paradise.
If the West Blue was this powerful, then how terrifying would the North Blue be, reputed to be the strongest of all? No wonder Doflamingo always emphasized that the World Government was the supreme force. And no wonder the Great World Conscription could summon not just two Marine Admirals but countless Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals as well. True powerhouses really were as abundant as carp in a river.
It also explained why Doflamingo could become the underground emperor just by running his brokerage. With so many affiliate and unaffiliated nations filled with powerful figures, his web of connections gave him immense influence. And why else would the Glacial Treasure guarded by the Eight Treasures Navy remain untouched after so many years? Their strength alone was deterrent enough.
On this battlefield, at least twenty to thirty pirates with bounties exceeding one billion clashed, with each side boasting a dozen or more such monsters. This was a true all-out war between the two strongest pirate nations of the West Blue. Yet neither side seemed to hold overwhelming dominance. Their top fighters were roughly equal—on par with someone like Charlotte Snack of the Big Mom Pirates, worth six hundred million berries. Even legends like Chinjao of the Drill, with his 542 million bounty, weren't the strongest among them.
"Dragon, looks like the targets you picked this time are truly formidable!!"
Souta Kiryuu was already itching to leap into battle, eager to cut down those Conqueror's Haki users and leave their corpses as stepping stones on his path to supremacy. Enel was restless as well, eager to unleash his lightning upon this grand war.
"These are the two strongest pirate nations of the West Blue," Dragon replied coldly, his eyes scanning the battlefield, lingering on the suffering civilians. "The irony is that both are affiliate states—protected by the World Government and Marines."
"Hyahaha! And that's exactly why so many pirate nations want to become affiliates," Moria laughed. "Aside from becoming a Warlord of the Sea, this is the next best option. With affiliate status, they can plunder under the guise of sovereignty, without fear of Marine hunts."
Souta recalled an event from the original tale—after Blackbeard became a Yonko, he kidnapped the new Navy hero Koby to bargain for Hive Island's recognition as a legitimate affiliate nation. Clearly, the title of affiliate nation was enticing for ambitious pirates—it gave them legitimacy and drove the so-called righteous Marines mad.
"Pirate affiliate nations should never exist!!" Sabo, standing behind Dragon, said sternly. "Pirates are pirates. How can they become a legalized force of plunder under the World Government's banner?"
The Heavenly Tribute system and the affiliate framework were riddled with injustice.
"Anyway, tell me," Souta Kiryuu turned to Dragon, ignoring Sabo's righteous anger. "Back in the Sorbet Kingdom, you helped us once. How much of the spoils are you offering us this time?" He couldn't work for free. Once they cracked open the Glacial Treasure, he expected a fair share.
"Sixty-forty. You get forty percent. Plus, all the Devil Fruit users captured will be handed over to you," Dragon replied without hesitation. The Revolutionary Army was strapped for funds. Otherwise, he would've offered an even fifty-fifty split with Souta's rising crew.
"Deal!" Souta grinned. He had intended to repay the Revolutionaries for their help in Sorbet, but Dragon's generosity made him drop any reservations.
"As for the Mulberry Kingdom's mythical beast Grand General—he's yours," Dragon added with a faint smile. "I doubt he poses any real threat to you." With Souta's forces joining the fray, Revolutionary Army casualties would be minimized, and their chances of victory greatly improved. Dragon also had another motive: he wanted to acquire an airship from Souta's crew to enhance the Revolutionaries' mobility.
"Then let's finish this quickly. We'll take them down, loot their spoils, and vanish before the World Government responds. I've got other places to be!" Souta's black iris shifted into a scarlet vertical slit. With a thunderous dragon's roar, his body transformed into a crimson dragon, diving toward the battlefield below.
Enel and Lafitte laughed as they followed, one transforming into lightning, the other sprouting wings as they rushed into the fray.
"…Then we go too!" Dragon commanded. He had originally planned to let the two kingdoms exhaust each other before swooping in, but Souta's sudden charge left no room for hesitation. With that, Dragon became a gust of wind and vanished, while Crow morphed into countless black ravens, carrying Revolutionary commanders down to the battlefield.
"Bonney, this war is dangerous. Stay sharp!" Kuma cautioned as he shoved Bege, Akainu, Brook, and the Oni Mask unit off the Ark to join the fight. He gently placed Bonney on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Papa Kuma! This time, my bounty's going up again!" Bonney replied with childlike excitement, shifting into her adult form as Law and Moria unleashed their powers and charged into battle.
"We're here to liberate this pirate kingdom, to bring joy back to its people…" Kuma reminded her softly, his voice full of conviction. With Bonney riding high, he too leapt from the ship, vanishing into the chaos of war.